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by The Griffindor Hatstall
Summary: Seven years ago she left England for with her secrets. What happens when she returns with her secrets laid bare?
1. Chapter 1

AN-Yes, another idea floating in my head. Its AU, so it will vary from cannon. I have no beta and am in nursing school so there may be errors in grammar my apologies in advance. Reviews are love!

Having a meeting in Draco Malfoys office was not the way Harry intended to spend his Friday afternoon, yet that's exactly where he was headed. Apparently Kingsley found it necessary for the head of the aurors, the head of the department of magical law enforcement and the head of magical law to have weekly meetings. He was certain that this was how migraines started. Taking a deep breath he steps off of the elevator and into the empty reception area for dmle.

This was the problem with after hour's meetings, they were after hours and all the smart people were gone. It wasn't like there was anywhere else for him to be. His fiancée was in Ireland for training camp and his best friend was at his sons peewee quiddich match. He officially had no life. He breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator door opened. The faster the meeting started the faster he could leave.

"Mum he is a so stupid! Like nerfherder stupid!" Yells a little voice emerging from the elevator. The child dressed in a full Quiddich uniform is yelling into a phone her freehand carrying a broom. "He couldn't hit a bludger at me so he throws his beater bat at my head! Mummm it was my first game here, I couldn't show weakness! FINE" The child is ignoring his presence as she stomps over to one of the benches, tosses down her backpack and flops down dramatically.

Harry couldn't help but smile. She couldn't have been more than seven but her temper was clearly evident. That temper brought make memories that made him smile, so of course he had to poke it. "Not nerfherder stupid!"

"Nerfherder is too good for this goon! My training broom was better than the trash he showed up with!" She throws her hands in the air dramatically forcing her to stop and adjust her glasses. She was a cute little thing, twin braids down each side of her head with the curls threatening to escape, a smattering of freckles and bright green eyes that stopped him in his tracks.

"Your papa chose Star Wars for movie night again didn't he?" Draco chuckles standing in his office doorway. He is terrified of the sight in front of him, thankfully he was raised by Lucius and is able to hide his emotions well.

"Yup" she says popping the p sound before running into his open arms. "I missed you Uncle Dragon! You should have seen it, I scored nine goals!"

"And you have a black eye! Your mother is going to have my hide for this. I have some bruise paste in my drawer and we will fix that before your Papa see's you and starts the next wizarding war!" Draco says affectionately kissing the top of the young girls head.

If Harry had not witnessed it he honestly wouldn't believe that Malfoy had this kind of affectionate side. "Uncle Dragon?" Harry questions with a smirk.

"My Goddaughter" He says with clear admiration in his voice "Now c'mon the floo in my office will take you to your Papa's house. Your mum will be there when she's done with work ok?"

"It's movie night, and it's Uncle Bears turn to choose. You're coming to make sure it's not something boring right? Plus tomorrow is our game at the park, an actual game and I can kick his butt again!" Her smile was contagious, but Malfoy seemed to get more on edge.

"Of course princess." He says ushering her further into his office. "Potter, just a few minutes I am going to see her through the floo." With that he shuts the door casts a silencing spell on the office and calls out "12 Grimmauld Place" before helping usher her into the floo. Once she is safe through the floo he grabs his hidden bottle of fire whiskey and takes a quick shot "This isn't going to end well"

Harry paces back and forth in the waiting room stopping only when he hears the lift stop at this floor. Kingsley is having an animated conversation with someone he can't see. His smile is wide as they banter back and forth ignoring everyone else as they make their exit. Draco seems eerily on edge and Harry's entire world explodes dramatically as the witch appears from the lift. Hermione Granger always did know how to take his breath away.

12/31/1997

 _The wireless is the only noise inside the tent. Random New Year's Eve news comes across alerting them to five minutes until the New Year. He looks over at his best friend, the woman he has loved since the moment he laid eyes on her at 11 on the express. He knew she was going to change the world. She was destined to greatness, and he would allow nothing to stand in her way._

 _She truly was the most beautiful creature he had every laid eyes on, even wearing one of his old flannels that was much too big. Gathering his courage he stands up and hold out his hand shaking her out of whatever story the book at her engrossed in. "Dance with me Hermione" he whispers. She cautiously looks up at him and gives him a small smile as she takes his offered hand. He pulls her close and he is in heaven. She fits perfectly in his arms. This is exactly where she belonged and he would win this war just to ensure she never left his arms._

 _The radio starts the countdown as they stop dancing. Their fingers are still intertwined and their eyes haven't left each other's. "5…..4…..3" the wireless continues its countdown and he leans in taking his destiny into his own hands. Both of his hands lightly caress her cheeks as his lips meet hers. "Happy New Year" He whispers as their foreheads touch, his breath taken away as she grasps the back of his neck pulling him closer pressing her own lips to his. He feels her smile into the kiss as she whispers_

 _"Happy New Year my love"_

 _The last of Harry's control slips as they spend this night proving their love._

Present Day

Harry Potter was the last person she expected to see when she got off the lift. Seven years of pain and anxiety bear down on her and it takes everything she has to not fall to pieces right here. It's the sight of her daughters Nimbus X sitting on the sofa that tosses her back to reality. "Sorry for the delay gentleman. Negotiations in France took a bit longer then we had hoped, Oh and Malfoy you should really put your broom somewhere safe. Wouldn't want anyone heartbroken if it disappeared."

At this Harry caught a second wind. Trying to sound as normal and as unaffected as possible he says "Oh it's not his, it's his God Daughters. It's insane the things that change as we age right?" He laughs uncomfortably and leans in hugging her tightly. Her body stiffens as she doesn't return the gesture. Instead, she whispers in his ear

"Please let me go Harry you have no right to pretend anymore."

His breathing stops, he hadn't seen her in seven years. She hadn't spoken to him in seven years. Shouldn't he be the one that's mad and hurt? Sensing this whole meeting is about to go very badly, Draco calls it to order knowing full well that no one's head is really in it.

"How dare you?!" Hermione shrieks at Draco from the kitchen. "You knew he was the head auror and you still led me in there like a lamb to slaughter!"

"You would never have come back! You weren't happy in Washington and you know it! You were settling because you were scared!" Draco yells in response. Sirius watches on from the doorway thankful that Lily had fallen asleep on the couch with Remus during the movie. He was sure that even the silencing charm he put up wouldn't hold up through this one

"He saw her Dray" She says plopping down in a chair with her head in her hands. "They talked. He lost that right! No he refused that right seven years ago! He washed his hands of us and I won't let him hurt her. She's not going to be another Molly Weasley charity case. I will not let this happen! We can move to France and I can apparate to work! She can go to beauxbatons"

Draco and Sirius share a silent look both of them kneeling on either side of her. "We will protect her. He won't know, and even if he does you saved the letter and that's as good as signing away his rights. He isn't even on the birth certificate. You live your life and raise that amazing little spitfire out there. Take her to the train in 4 years and have an amazing life. It's his loss. You're a better woman then he deserves." Sirius hugs her tightly whispering into her hair "I will go back to Azkaban before I let anyone hurt my girls"


	2. Chapter 2

AN-And here's to another chapter! Thank you for the story follows and the review. Remember I own nothing, really wish I did though. (I mean reaaallly wish I did)

It felt good being back in London. Quiddich games just weren't the same in the states as they were at home. It was also nice to know that Lily had such a large fan club between Sirius, Draco, Viktor and Hermione it seemed she had her own cheering section. She had never seen a turn out so large for peewee Quiddich in her life. The field was packed on both the home and away sides and she was sure that even the yearly Gryffindor and Slytherin match wasn't this packed. It didn't stop her from watching Lily like a hawk. The child had no fear, and no amount of teaching was going to overrule the dna on that quality.

It was the opening match of the season London Vs Devon and the parents were taking this as seriously as they would a professional match instead of the PeeWee 6-9 match it actually was. Lily was doing amazingly, she was a born chaser (according to the men surrounding her at least, but they were all bias) the score was 110 to 60 with London having a clear lead. Lily had the quaffle in hand when the beater for Devon grabbed the hood of Lily's robes and tried to pull her off of her broom. The group stood in shock as Hermione took off to the other end of the field just in time to see a shock of accidental magic erupt from Lily knocking the beater off of her and off of his broom as well.

Lily is on the ground and in Hermione's arms sobbing in an instant "I don't wanna go to Azkaban mummy!" She says sobbing into Hermione's shirt.

"Peanut, you're not going to Azkaban over a little accidental magic. I promise" With a kiss to the forehead she gives Lily to Draco who is muttering someone about his Goddaughter would never go to Azkaban. "Can't promise I won't though" and with that she is steps over to the other family.

"That child is a menace!" A high pitched voice squeals from the center of the large group.

"My child?" Hermione says gritting her teeth "My child was defending herself from your sociopath of a child who quite literally tried to rip her off her broom from 25 feet in the air! Her accidental magic saved her!" Her eyes stay closed as she takes a few deep breaths only to see Lavender Brown standing in front of her. "Fuck my life" She mutters to herself as Lavender continues screeching, ignoring her son who is being tended to a mere ten feet away.

"Hermione Granger" Lavender says with a smirk "Who was hard up enough to fuck you?" Turning around she calls out with a saccharine sweetness "Sweetie I need you over here"

"He is fine, the field has a cushioning charm on it. Some of these kids don't have training brooms anymore." Hermione would know that voice anywhere. She's fighting every urge she has to run as Ron steps out from the crowd behind Lavender. His eyes widen as they gape at each other. Seven years had changed him. He was taller, with a full beard and a little rounder around the middle. Once he finally comes to he senses he pulls her into his arms "Bloody hell I missed you Mione!"

Hermione sinks into his hug not realizing how much she missed him. "Wait, of course that little spitfire is yours!" He kneels down to Lily and smiles "I'm Ron, and I'm sorry for Hugo. Weasley men don't start fights like that."

"Tell that to my black eye" Lily smirks knowing no one had told him or her mother. She wasn't blind, plus she was quite bright for her age. All these people were acting like they cared for her mom, but no one ever visited or wrote her mom. America really wasn't that far. Her Uncle Bear traveled all over the world, not to mention her Uncle Draco saw his mum every Sunday. No fake people would not fool her. She could hear her mums breathing change behind her, and she knew this was gonna be good.

A black eye? The little redheaded shit thought he could give her daughter a black eye. Before she could explode Viktor leaned over and whispered in her ear "Calm down, it won't do to give them more to talk about." Why was the big oaf always right? Being in the public eye since 15 tending to do that. So with a deep breath she looks up at Ron whose face is a shade of purple she hadn't seen in years.

"Owl me, I would love to catch up. After I hang my son by his thumbs in the basement." His smile was infectious, she was so happy she didn't even notice the sea of red that surrounded her. It wasn't until she was tackled to the ground by someone screaming "MIONE" that she noticed a grinning George pinning her to the ground while Fred shook his head taking pictures with his phone.

"You came home!" George yells

"You seriously need to work on your communication skills" Fred laughs helping George up before looking over at Lily.

"You have a clone!" They yell in unison rushing to hug Lily.

"I DON'T KNOW YOU!" Lily yells as she is spun around by the twins.

The Weasley invasion let Harry slip in unnoticed. He hadn't seen her smile that genuinely in years, and frankly it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The little girl shook herself from the crowd. She really did look like Hermione, which of course would explain why he was so drawn to her.

"Great game today. You have some pretty amazing quiddich skills." Her smile takes over her face at the complement.

"Thanks, my Papa got me a broom for my first birthday, and I grew up flying around when the Finches were practicing." He didn't know why but this girl drew him in. There was just something about her.

"You were amazing little bit!" A booming voice he hadn't heard in years says from behind them before scooping up the child and tossing her over his shoulder. "Time to change your glasses and we can go get pizza!" Sirius holds out her glasses trading her goggles for normal glasses. She doesn't notice the tension between the two as she gingerly strips out of her Quiddich gear handing it to Sirius revealing her shorts and t shirt.

"Thanks Papa! I wanted to punch him in the nose real bad!" She says giggling "But penguins fly faster than his old stupid broom!"

"Penguin's don't fly munchkin." Sirius laughs looking younger then the last time Harry saw him.

"Exactly, but I sure do!" Her grin is infectious as Harry and Sirius laugh with her. Sirius wraps his arm around her shoulders protectively glaring at Harry.

"C'mon munchkin lets go get that pizza." He says ignoring his god son

"Wait papa!" She says running up to Harry. "I don't know your name."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter." He says holding out his hand to the now awestruck child.

"I'm Lily, Lily Jaymes Granger. You want to come have pizza?" Harry's heart drops into his stomach as Sirius pulls the child closer. "Can Mr. Potter come for pizza too Papa?" She says excitedly unaware of the massive tension building up.

"No Lils he can't." Hermione interrupts. "He is a very busy man and has very important things to do." Hermione's face is cold and hard in a way he has never seen. She stands tall and proud in front of him like a mama bear protecting her cubs. Sirius his own Godfather is next to her glaring at him as well.

"Actually" Harry says in defiance. "I am with my Godson and he would love to go out for pizza." If his suspicions were correct, there was no way she was blowing him off. He would fight until his last breath, and there wasn't a soul that would stop him.

Hermione's jaw clenches her fists balled at her sides. Harry refuses to break eye contact with her, he refuses to back down. "You made your decision very clear, and you're too late to change it" She growls

"You can't change a choice you were never given" Harry's jaw clenches at the words but Hermione never wavers. Lily stares back and forth between the two then at her Papa who she had never seen this mad before. Tears start to spill down her cheeks watching the tension build until her Uncle Draco scoops her up from behind.

"You three work this out. Viktor and I are taking Lily and Teddy for pizza. Don't come back until you can act like adults and quit forgetting that only one of us in the situation actually matters. She doesn't need to see your drama!" With that the three of them head to the other side of the field with Lily looking back at them tears still flowing freely in her eyes. Hermione's heart breaks watching her daughter leave knowing she helped cause the tears. Before she has a chance to think on this any longer Sirius grabs both of them and apparates the three of them into the drawing room before putting up anti apparition wards and a locking spell on the doors and windows.

"You two work this out and you work it out now. You will not leave the room until it is worked out. Lily is never to see you two acting like that again. Understood?" Sirius says with his wand out and arms crossed. As soon as they nod yes Sirius is out the door which then disappears.

Hermione can't even look him in the eye. How dare he show up and try to befriend the child he refused? "Listen Potter I will tell you one time, stay away from me and stay away from my daughter. I have every letter and every court document saved. You gave her up, and I won't let you come back and hurt her!"

The confusion on his face was evident. It's like she was speaking another language and he just didn't understand it. "What the hell are you talking about? You left one note that said you were going to California to go to university and would write when you got settled. Apparently you never settled considering I never heard from you until yesterday's meeting! I even went to California to find you and found nothing. So don't pretend like you're the victim here."

How stupid did he think she was? She was smarter than to fall for his bullshit. No, no she would call him out on it be done. "Accio lockbox" She yelled quickly hearing it hitting the wall repeatedly. "Fucking mutt" she mutters only to have the door reappear and a wand brandishing Sirius tossing it in. The door quickly disappears and Hermione grabs the box, slides to the floor and dumps its contents. Hundreds of photos muggle and wizard alike fall out as well as what looked like court documents. Pictures of a toddler on a broom wearing a tutu and a birthday hat chasing a horrified crookshanks while Sirius followed carefully next to her. Pictures of a small child riding on the front of a broom with Draco, and one of Viktor carrying her on his shoulders through what looked like a theme park. Tears form in his eyes as he stands up.

"They are not her father!" He yells the jealousy and anger seeping through every word. "I am her father and you stole that from me. You lied to me, said you shared my feelings and then you left! Not only did you leave and take my child but you took my godfather. I fucking hate you and I will see you in court!" He pulls his wand out, after all if Sirius won't let him out then he will just blow up the wall.

"I honestly thought you were smarter than this Potter. You made your choice. You don't always get to be the victim." Shaking her head with a bitter laugh she picks up the court documents and throws them at him. "The law trumps your temper tantrums, sorry but your breaking your own bloody no contact order. Not once, but twice! And ok throw me and our daughter away, I get it you lied to me exploited my feelings to get laid. But what you did to Sirius, your own godfather. That is unforgiveable." With that she touches her wand to the wall and calmly leaves the room.


	3. Chapter 3

AN- Yes, Harry and Hermione have some issues to work out. Give them time, this story is set to be novel length so stay tuned! Also to each and every person who reviews or follows or likes I appreciate and adore each and every one of you! Remember, I own nothing!

He didn't completely understand when everything fell apart. Sitting at his dining room table with the lock box, the contents spread across his dining room table his head in his hands he honestly doesn't know where to start. Two different letters telling the people he loved more than anything to leave him alone and never speak to him again. Two different court orders banning any contact between him and Hermione as well as him and Sirius.

The last time he had seen Hermione was in the great hall after the battle, then poof she was gone with a letter saying she was accepted to Berkley and was starting right away. He spent two months searching before Ron found him to tell him about Sirius's return. Upon Bellatrix's death Sirius was thrown from the veil. Saint Mungo's and the Department of Mysteries kept him secret until they were able to prove he was not a weapon of dark magic.

He got to see his godfather one time at Molly's welcome home brunch before he took off as well. He had never understood why they both left him. Why he gave up half his life to fight for other people only to have the people he loved most desert him.

"Harry, you obviously didn't file these. You weren't even in the country when the one against Hermione was filed." Ginny says looking over the documents. "Aside from you, she was my best friend. I know for a fact that she is probably considering leaving the country again, and she isn't going to let her guard down until you prove you didn't kick them both to the curb." Taking a deep breath she grabs Harry by the hands. "We need to come clean Harry. I have to talk to Pansy, and then we have to come clean. It's the only way we can start clearing this up. Harry, this whole thing really does look like you used her if I don't. Neither of you deserve this, and I don't even want to start on your godfather." A thought pops into Ginny's head making her smile. "How anyone who actually knew him could believe he betrayed your parents is beyond me. He gets a no contact order from you, and finds the one person your closest to only to find out you did the same thing to her. Only she has your spawn, and he steps up and helps your baby mama."

The tension coming off Harry is palpable. "All I ever wanted was a family. When I actually have one, someone hates me enough to ensure they get taken away! My daughter doesn't even know me Gin!" Ginny rolls her eyes sending a quick text to Pansy before grabbing Harry's old photo album and putting it next to the pictures Harry has of Lily.

"First off Potter. She named your daughter in honor of not one but both of your parents. Second, you both had glasses before you were two." Ginny takes out pictures putting them side by side. "Third, Sirius got her a broom for her first birthday. The same thing he got you! You may not have been there, but you are there."

The conversation ends abruptly as Pansy steps out of the floor giving Ginny a quick kiss and a smile. Ginny explains the situation fully, but Pansy's mask never slips. "Yea, we do have to go public. But, this will be better if I could get Draco on our side. That git was always my goddaughter this, my goddaughter that, my god daughter that. He wrote a five page letter about a trip to a theme park in Florida with a mouse that him and Viktor took her to. That evil git didn't even mention who her mother was once! Once this is done he is getting a piece of my mind!"

"Well I sure didn't see that one coming." Sirius laughs putting the prophet down on the kitchen table. The headline reads _Heart break for the body who lived! Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson announce engagement._

"He was her cover the entire time." Hermione sits there staring at the paper in silence. So many thoughts are running through her head. She saw them embrace after the battle. She can't think straight. Everything is a jumble in her head. Every action she has made was from witnessing this event. Getting up and pacing the living room everything she has done is tangled in her brain. Where would they be right now if she hadn't left? Stopping in her tracks she takes a deep breath, puts on her heels and heads for this floo. "This doesn't change a thing. He still threw us away like trash" and with that she throws the floo powder into the floo and heads for the ministry.

Her desk is covered in official ministry notices. From the moment she arrived she was bombarded. First the dismissal of No Contact Order, then a notice of investigation of no said order. She didn't even get through reading that notice when an auror was knocking on her door to take a statement. The auror got interrupted by the appearance of a Gringotts Goblin with a key and paperwork to accept a trust vault for one Lily Jaymes Granger as well as a separate account for parenting expenses.

By this point, Hermione is at her wits end. She is going home and plotting the death of Harry. She would have done it to, had it not been for the owl dropping an official correspondence from the Australian Minister of Magic. Apparently the Minister of Magic himself approached the Australian ministry and offered them Hermione's services. All Expenses paid as well as full paid tuition to a private magical primary school exclusive to residents of Australia.

Why would Kingsley ship her out so quickly? They hadn't even been back in London for a month yet and they already wanted her to move again! Summoning all her courage she gathers all the paperwork and marches to Kingsley's office. Ignoring the blatant glare from his secretary she calmly knocks on his door and is called in. A grin spreads out across Kingsleys face "It's good to see you! How's the department? Remember any questions my door is open."

"Minister Shaklebolt." She greets him and noticing the other party in his office. Of course Harry would be here. Why couldn't she get away from him?

"My friends call me Kingsley you know that" His smile is contagious, but her nerves get the best of her.

"Are you unhappy with the quality of my work?" She asks him seriously. "If it's not up to par I would honestly appreciate knowing first hand, and I would appreciate even being given half a chance to prove myself before I am transferred to the bloody other side of the world. You know I'm not alone, I have my daughter to think of."

"First off Miss Granger I fought for a year to get you over here. Second, you are on a ten year contract with the ministry so unless you are willing to cough up the buyout fee you're stuck. Third, what are you talking about?" Kingsley is more than a little confused, and after the talk he had with Harry things just weren't adding up. She tosses the transfer paperwork onto his desk and plops into the chair. Harry immediately grabs the paperwork.

"I'm telling you this doesn't add up" Harry says furiously "Someone is trying to segregate me by proxy. I have no idea how that's legal by the way, and now they are trying to get Hermione out of the country again. It feels like Dumbledore the summer after fifth year!" Hermione's heart dropped at the admission. She knew how hard that summer was for him and how alone he felt. Putting her feelings aside she looks over to him and smiles. Even after all that was going on around them he had been her first friend, and she couldn't help but want to stand by him.

His whole body is trembling with rage. "They took my godfather away, before I even had a chance to get him back. They took the one person I thought I would.." His speech is cut off by his own mumbling as he stares at the floor. "I have a daughter, this beautiful amazing child who is everything that right about her mother and I, and they kept her away from me. I won't let this go!" With one last look behind him Harry storms out of Kingsleys office.

"Later" Hermione mouths before going after him. She recognizes his stance as he heads towards the apparation point outside the ministry. If she doesn't stop him now who knows where he will wind up.

"Harry wait!" She calls out reaching for his arm. He turns around the hurt still evident on his face. "Friday nights are date nights. Everyone goes out for dinner and some random activity. Would you like to join us? Its Lily's turn to choose." Her eyes never leave his, she lets her hand slide down his arm only to have him catch her hand in his. She smiles timidly at him, seeing the boy he was behind the eyes of the broken man that stands in front of her. "Trust me, she has google an insane sense of humor and three pure blooded wizards with her. This is going to be fun. It's a chance to get to know her. To bond with her and Sirius. To figure out how best to tell her."

The last line leaves Harry wide eyed. She was willing to tell Lily, he could actually have a chance to salvage some of this situation. "It would mean the world to Sirius if you and Teddy came. He hasn't seen Teddy since before Andy died, there is so much more to the Teddy and Sirius bond that I don't even understand."

"There's nothing I want more."

Harry was sure that Lily had inherited her backhanded sense of humor from her mother, because Benihana had the three purebloods so in awe that she could have gotten anything she wanted. Hermione was right, Teddy lit up around Sirius in a way he hadn't in the year since his grandmother died. He had no idea that Teddy had spent every summer in the states with the group, nor did he know that Teddy looked up to Sirius like a father. Those two seemed to mend something in each other that even he didn't yet grasp. Lily had everyone including Harry wrapped around her little finger by the end of the night. He is taking a moment to memorize everything about this night when Sirius taps him on the shoulder and cocks his head indicating for Harry to follow.

The pair stand out front in complete silence with Sirius having his second cigarette before he finally clears his throat. "You know when I find out who did this there isn't going to be enough left of them to identify right?"

"I firmly believe there is going to be a waiting line for that. I think My M" Harry stops and realizes what he was about to say "Hermione is going to be first in line."

"Werewolves mate for life, did you know that? I found out when I was 14. Yea not only was I a blood traitor, a Gryffindor, blown off my family tree, a poof and mated to a werewolf. He waited 12 years for me and he knew, he knew he was going to clear my name. I thought she was insane when she agreed to carry our child. I mean a young auror in the middle of the war carrying a werewolf and a fugitive's child is pretty crazy even by my standards. Then I go and get myself blown through the veil. I leave him a second time, and the fool actually goes through with it anyway!" Stamping out his cigarette he sees the confusion in Harry's eyes. "Fate has a way of bringing them back. Think about it son you, me, Teddy and now Hermione and Lilly. We were never meant to leave, yet here we are." With that he hands Harry a Black family pennant and walks back inside.

Sirius always did have a way with kids. By the time Harry is back inside he has both Teddy and Lily hanging from a leg. "Harry! Harry! Papa is going to take us to a castle in Loch and we get to see the world cup!" Lily yells practically vibrating with excitement.

"Woah, I haven't seen the world cup in a few years! You two are lucky." Harry says with a grin pulling out a pouch of Galleons only to get the death glare from Sirius. A few squeals and hugs later the group heads out. Harry smiles watching his Godfather in his element with a child on each arm, a full faced grin head out of the building. Taking a deep breath I look towards Hermione. "What do you say we go for a drink?"


	4. Chapter 4

AN- Yes my friends as we all know…Padfoot is a big ol softy. We need to make him the brains of the operation. To everyone reviewing and following my story, THANK YOU! And as always, I own nothing but Lily

For the head of the auror department and the head of magical law, the best place to let loose and have a few drinks would clearly be at home. The drinks started in the kitchen and moved to the family room around the fire. Looking around Harry noted that this was nothing like the Grimauld Place he knew growing up. The house was light and welcoming, toys and photos now littered the room. No longer the pristine dark hole it once was, it is now a comfortable family home. There is even a door off the kitchen he didn't recognize.

Hermione had informed him that it was an entrance to 13 Grimauld Place which Draco and Viktor had purchased prior to the move. Lily had never lived without them, and this was an easy way to ease some of her stress. Plus, it had an extra bonus of letting them check on the little family whenever they wanted. They drank and spoke of random things that only made sense to the two of them. She even made sure he knew the story of Sirius taking a sledgehammer to the wall holding his mother's portrait. It felt easy, like seven years had not passed at all.

"When did you know?" He asks, his eyes never leaving hers.

She watches him and finishes the rest of her glass of fire whiskey. "Shell cottage. Bill and Fleur knew right away. They could both hear and smell the difference. Everyone agreed that I couldn't tell you until it ended, or it became unsafe. No one wanted that worry on top of everything else. Remus actually realized when we were dueling, before we got separated. He hugged me and told me that we had the next generation of marauders. Last thing he said to me actually." Her eyes can't bear to meet his as she pours herself another glass. "I had this entire plan worked out in my head. Once I saw we had won, that you killed him I knew it was safe. I had this whole scenario in my head. I would tell you, you would spazz and do that excited spin me around thing you did. She would be our flower girl and we would be the family you always wanted. Once I saw you and Ginny though I knew that I was a distant memory. You would be a Weasley just like you always wanted. We would just be a complication. So an hour later with nothing but that damn bag I took a portkey to Boston."

When she finally did look up she sees how broken he really is. His eyes are glassy trying not to shed a tear. Holding up one finger she runs upstairs and finds the box. Magically shrunk the box has every photo since the end of the war. She quickly makes a copy of the box and its contents and heads back to where Harry is studying the pictures on the wall. Patting the seat next to her on the couch they spend the next few hours going through picture by picture. "Ok, I understand you and Malfoy went to Harvard together but I am not understanding how Sirius fits into this."

"So picture Sirius being locked in Saint Mungo's for months, only to come back home and see a branch coming off your name. He wasn't going to talk to you in front of your girlfriend and her family, so he was going to call you over in the morning. Only problem was that he got woken up by the ministry owl with the no contact order. He decided I would have answers and came searching. Once he saw the situation, I was in he never left. He is her Papa, and trust me he makes sure he makes up for the 4 grandparents she is missing."

Harry's emotions were all over the place watching her try to calm herself. For as long as he had known her she had never let anyone help her, weaken her. Everything he ever wanted was in this house, his family was in this house and he was at a loss on how to get it back. Sirius, was a given he was forgiving to a fault but Hermione well he feared he would never feel the love he had for her returned.

Hermione glances at Harry while he isn't looking. He is the same boy she fell in love with as a child, yet so completely different. She had dreams for years about how different everything would be if she had never left, and looking at him right now made her want that life more than she ever imagined. Another shot of fire whiskey and the worries start to become hazy. "I missed you so much" She whispers before looking up at him.

A better man would have ignored her, or put her to sleep or nodded it off. But no one ever said that Harry was the better man. "My Mia, you are my reason I draw each breath." Taking her curls in between his fingers he leans in and softly presses his lips to hers. As if the first kiss was a spark, the second was the one that ignited the fire that soon had Hermione in his lap. Their tongues battled for dominance and Harry moved his hand against the bare skin on the small of her back. Just as soon as the fire started though the ice cold water that is reality crashes down upon Hermione and she jumps away from him.

"You have to go." She stammers "I'm really tired and I need some rest so you need to go." She can't even look at Harry as she starts to hyperventilate. "Floo powder is on the mantle" she whispers before disappearing up the stairs.

If he was anyone else he would have listened to her, but he has seen her panic attacks before. So with a bottle of sober up potion and a mug of cocoa he climbs the stairs only to find her sobbing on the second floor landing. Without a word he is sitting next to her with his arms around her handing her the sober up. Once that's done, they sit in silence as she slowly sips the cocoa. "It's not just me anymore" she whispers "She is seven next month and I can't let her down. I can't let her get hurt."

Her words are whispers as he continues to comfort her. "I would die every day if it meant keeping either of you from pain." She burrows closer against him, her tears soaking his shirt.

"I messed everything up" She hiccups "I was hormonal and a mess and I ruined everything for both of you. I don't deserve you. Hell I don't deserve her. She is so much like you, I just don't know what to do."

Holding her tightly and kissing the top of her head he smiles down at her "We are going to do what we used to do on holidays when everything went ass up. We are going to get in our pajamas, we are going to order pizza and we are going to watch movies until we pass out, then we are going to wake up and do it again. Then on Sunday when they come home we will worry about the rest of it." His smile calmed her down and she realized that might just work.

Firewhiskey and pizza and eventually snogging were plentiful as they spent Friday night into Saturday doing just as they promised. Sunday morning Harry awakens to amazing smells coming from the kitchen. Venturing in he see's her with headphones in wearing only the quidditch jersey she stole in 6th year. This is exactly how it was supposed to be. This, was all he wanted. "You know Potter you always were creepy when you stared" She calls back to him in a sing song voice as he approaches her. Entwining her in his arms he can feel her start to relax.

"What can I say I'm secretly a creepster." He says with a grin as he sets the table.

"I think its time to tell her" She says between bites causing Harry to pause mid bite. "She already thinks you hung the moon. It's not fair to either of you. I ruined it for so long, we could have had all of this." Before she can keep rambling his lips are on hers and he is pulling her into his arms.

"There is nothing I would love more then to be there, to be her father. You know this feels right, quit thinking and just do what you feel." His grin was infectious, and he always had that way of making you feel like everything would be perfect. Before she had a chance to even think about it a patronus appeared in front of them and Ron's voice calls out.

"There has been an attack at the World Cup you need to get here now!"


End file.
